


Something Cards Lead Him To

by babyrann



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: AU, Falling In Love, M/M, Not Beta Read, tags will be added later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-23 14:02:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30056586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babyrann/pseuds/babyrann
Summary: Reid and Ethan start a part time job at a jazz bar as fortune tellers. Hotch and Rossi visit there, here it is, that's how they meet.---------This is an AU born from the famous mistake, Reid referring to himself as an "MIT graduate." Reid and Ethan are the MIT students, and Hotch and Rossi are the FBI profilers but not belonging to the BAU.
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not a native English speaker, so you'll find TONS of mistakes.

_It was Ethan's idea._

It was their thirty-something... Well, Reid knew the exact number, but you have better try to be more conversational when sitting in a jazz bar. He didn't talk to anybody right now, though. 

They had been here, the jazz bar where Reid's childhood friend played the piano for his tuition fees, twice a week for four months and a week. So eventually, he didn't have to be a genius with an IQ of 187 to calculate. Easy math. This was their thirty-fourth time to be here as fortunetellers.

Reid's childhood friend and current roommate, Ethan Hyde, had come up with this new part-time job idea. Reid had believed that both of their thinking faculties were based on science. They were the MIT students! However, Ethan shamelessly had started persuading him into the trump cartomancy business. It was February, four months and three weeks ago.

  
**February 21th**

Last Valentine's day wasn’t eventful for Ethan. That was, by the way, quite a surprise to Reid. He’d known him from the elementary school days. Even before they hit puberty, Ethan was popular with girls. Reid became a high school student at an earlier age than usual, and consequently, their path separated, yet their friendship didn’t end. Every romantic event has come up in conversation until now. To Reid’s big surprise, Ethan had had too much time on his hands on fourteenth and after.

His friend was getting tired of killing time, and Reid acutely sensed that he would pester him soon. Reid was watching Star Trek: Voyager on DVD as reading a psychology primer (because, why not? Human’s conscious mind can process sixteen bits of information per second, and an unconscious one can process eleven million) but decided to evacuate to his own room to avoid the emotional bomb.

Unfortunately, the brunette, long-haired man groaned in frustration right before Reid stood up. “We have to archive a triumph.”

“Hmm,” Reid feigned to concentrate on the book and the monitor.

“Why the fuck are you reading the psychology guide book?”

“I’m thinking of getting a BA of it on my own. Quick review if I would be intrigued.”

”Of course,” the other snorted.

”Have you heard the interrelationships between the numbers of PhDs and exploits? The statistics show -,”

He snorted again. “Yeah, such and such.” 

“Well, since you want success, study hard.”

“That’s not the definition of it here, dude. I kind of have an idea for making money. It’s more meaningful than getting laid.”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged.

“Next time, you just nod. Don’t face every joke squarely.”

The friend began to explain his triumph plan, which was actually too far to define as a big success. To make matters worse, he wanted Reid to play a cartomancy fortuneteller. The prominent eidetic memory would never forget each trump card’s meaning, and his high skill of card magic could pick the right one without earning any suspicion.

“I’m thinking of starting our business at the bar where I play the piano. Maybe twice a week?”

“Whoa! Are you saying you want me to cheat people by my magic technique?”

“You can say that but the gist of this isn’t like that. You’ll help people.”

“By conning them? Apparently, neither of us knows the fortune telling theories, and we... we strongly doubt those unscientific approaches to the truth. I can’t commit that fraud by using my skill and memory!”

“But you won’t say anything to them. You’ll just show a card that would be persuasive. I’ll talk to the customers. I don’t expect you to talk to them.”

“You are advising them based on the cards I’m choosing. That’s a con in itself!”

“Let me explain one more time. Just listen to me, okay?”

Ethan started, and yet it wasn’t a tad different from the previous one, just adding the details that Reid didn’t agree with in any way.

“You keep saying the same thing.” He elevated his eyebrows and opened his arms. “You inquire about their worries and figure out the answer they want, then sign me which card to be shown under the table. I shuffle the cards and pick the right one as if I read them, but the truth is, that's magic.”

“You can choose several cards since you have a good memory; you’ll remember all combinations in five minutes.”

“You’re not listening to me.”

“I am. Don’t be so serious. Living in the US is way too hard, and people need counseling. We just show them a hint of life. They don’t care whether right or not anyway. It’s a fortune telling in a bar. A small entertainment.” Ethan cheerfully twitched his mouth, and it formed an O shape after a moment. “It’ll help that thing.”

Reid narrowed his eyes. “What thing?”

“The BA thing. It’s sorta a practical exercise. Listening to people and finding their needs. Maybe the statistical logic will help to figure out the answers, too. This is a perfect science.”

“That would be another con. I’m not a mental health counselor.”

“We don’t hold a sign saying ‘Counselors!!!’ and don’t need to get a government certification to be fortunetellers.”

“Yeah, but,” Reid mumbled.

A mischievous smile spread all over his friend's face. “You like it.”

He turned his face to the other side. “No! But since you insist. We’re friends, and you need money.” 

“Yes, definitely, I’m the eager one,” nodded Ethan.

**February 25th**

Ethan almost forced Reid to wear contact lenses. 

He reasoned, “You’re a definition of MIT when with your glasses.”

Reid didn’t take it as a slight; instead, he felt honored that his academism emerged on the surface. “So?”

“We, MIT students, don’t infer fortune telling.”

The chestnut-haired man shrugged. They didn’t need to confirm their scientific backgrounds at the entrance of his regular ophthalmological clinic, which is science-based. Reid had reluctantly agreed with the plan because Ethan would owe him for the first package. Knowing Reid’s microphobia too well, the doctor prescribed the one-day type.

“Actually, it’s not bad,” smiled Reid as they left the clinic with the lenses on his orbs and walked to the nearest bus stop. His range of vision got wider. It was fantastic.

Ethan nodded in satisfaction, “I supposed these contact lenses would solve the other problems, but you need more reformation. You’re still a typical MIT genius.”

“Because I am.” He said no to Ethan. ”I have some books I want to finish. Let's just go back home.”

“You really don’t know nothing about temporal stuff. That’s a cute thing about you, definitely, you ain’t gonna lose it, but you might have to know a little at least.”

“Cute? Don't make fun of me. I’m not a minor.”

“Hell, look at new you! Ladies will scream at you. Your pretty face makes our business rosy.”

“I don’t get it.” Nobody except his friend in front of him had praised him in this way. Ethan, somehow, occasionally did it, and that was another thing he didn't get. He well recognized his nerdy appearance. He’d never gone on a date.

“Okay, you just nod when you don’t understand. That’s one of the skills to survive mundaneness.”

Ethan gave him the same advice on twenty first; this happened when they were nine years old. Thus Reid had heard it five-hundred-thirty-seven times so far. Still, he kept saying that he didn’t understand when he didn’t, even though he knew everyone, not only Ethan, wouldn't answer his question. The advice didn’t make sense to him, and irrationalities were something that his nature wasn’t able to simply pass by.

He then reached for Reid’s head, messing up his hair.

Reid shook off his hands. “Hey!”

He’d combed his hair with care this morning. Styling comma hair was something important that his mother stressed, and Reid kept it in his mind. Was it nerdy? He didn’t care. He took priority over a traditional judgment, so-called civility. He wasn’t interested in fashion in the first place.

“Your face and disheveled hair are a perfect combination,” Ethan didn’t seem to care about his friend’s reaction and kept on. “But your plaid shirt, it speaks volumes.”

“What’s wrong with it? I’m me!” He glared at his friend.

“Yes, I love you as you are, dude. But it just doesn’t fit our business. You oughta persuade ladies without talking. So-”

“Ladies? You want to have sex, so use me to achieve the goal? That’s been your real intention, hasn’t it?” The high tone tore his throat.

“I’m telling you about the world. Most of our customers will be female. I bet the statistics in your head tell you the same story.”

Reid pouted but silently accepted him because that was true. 

“So, where was I? ... Right, your shirt. You look like you start lecturing the uncertainty of fortune-telling. You won’t want to start it in the middle of the session, by the way. You pick cards in silence. A mysterious, convincing fortuneteller you should be. And,” He opened his arms theatrically, “you need new outfits.”

“If you buy them for me,” snapped Reid. He loved his shirts. They were so nice and smooth on his skin. He found nothing to disgrace him in his wardrobe.

“Alright, since I fully recognize the importance of initial cost.”

They reached the nearest bus stop and took the bus to the mall. 

**February 28th**

“I don’t get it.” Reid frowned.

This time, Ethan didn’t say, “you just nod.”

“Hoodie is a typical student outfit.” Reid looked at the mirror in an oversized, gray hoodie.

The sleeves covered his hands by the tips even though his height was over six feet. He’d insisted that at the mall on twenty fifth, trying to persuade him out of buying extra outfits in which Reid hadn’t found the value. He wasn’t saying the hoodie was terrible. He wanted to emphasize that it gave the same type of impression that his favorite shirts did; His friend had wasted his money.

“Well, I changed my plan when I saw you in it.” Ethan’s answer was nonchalant. As pointing Reid by circling his finger, he continued, “You’re young and cute, and it’s impossible to change. So, you’re an ordinary student who goes to university other than MIT. Anybody ain’t digging your background while you keep shutting your mouth.”

“And how about you? You suppose to sit down beside me. You’re a sort of guide to our card readings, don’t you think somebody senses your love for science during a conversation?”

“I play jazz there. I’m more than convincing at a glance.”

Reid scoffed as Ethan finished his sentence and put the hood on the other’s head.

“Ta da!” A smile spread all over his face. “You’ll steal everybody’s heart no matter what.”

Reid just knitted his eyebrows. “I don’t think I can do this.” He didn’t at all grab the difference between hoodies and plaid shirts. How could he pretend to be a fortuneteller?

“Shhh, you can.”

“Don’t shhh me. I’m not cute.”

“You don’t understand the word when girls say it to boys.” 

“Anyway, I still appear nerdy.” Reid simply ignored his friend wanting to explain the word because 1) he instead refused to input the meaning to his brain, and 2) Ethan knew Reid was bisexual yet kept referring to only “girls.”

“As long as you keep the hood and your bangs hiding your eyes, you’re not a Mathematics/Chemistry/Engineering enthusiast.”

Reid snorted as Ethan rested his arm on Reid’s shoulder and stated. 

Reid had to move on from his appearance. Ethan had already negotiated with the owner of the bar. He needed to remember the cards’ meaning. Also, he couldn’t resist the urge for actual psychological observation; he had to go to the library right away. They were kicking off the first trump cartomancy in four days. 


	2. Chapter 2

To his amazement, the new business had sailed peacefully, and now at the thirty-fourth readings, Reid was no longer surprised at the increase of the number of their customers each time.

His best friend deposited the profits in a bank for his student fees. Opposite to the way he dressed, undoing his shirt's top few buttons, which freely showed his womanizer trait, he was steady, intrinsically. On the other hand, Reid spent a part of the extra income for his mother’s allowance; she suffered from schizophrenia and resided in the Bennington Sanitarium. The part-time job didn't change his life's bitter side, but he sincerely appreciated these consequences as better progress.

The fear of fraud hadn’t lasted long. The two students didn’t divine the future, of course. Still, the customers wanted them to mildly push their backs rather than them to solve the problems, and when that was the case, Reid didn’t hesitate to show the appropriate cards. As Ethan pointed out, it helped his self-education in psychology. He never read the cards, yet the fact was, he read their minds. He did mental arithmetic for the probability when he couldn’t grasp entirely what advice to be shown. It was organized by mathematics, psychology, and magic. Their “sessions” were increasing accuracy each time.

Actually, it was counseling session-ly in any way. They hadn’t crossed the border, though. And, they never would. They were profoundly aware of why the business got firm; they gave the customers precisely what they wanted, and the customers hence paid in satisfaction. Simple as that. Reid started reading several books related to behavioral analysis for both his own interest and the job.

Their roles changed after a month passed; Ethan no longer signed to Ried under the table. He concentrated on making the customers freely talk, Reid figured out the answers they wanted. The other man has a good memory, although not as good as the doctor. He now memorized the meanings of each card and all combinations. It went smoothly, from Reid pulling out cards to Ethan reading them and explaining them to the customer.

“Someone is peering at us.” Reid whispered into Ethan’s ear between the “sessions.”

An average height and build man frankly watched at them. He grew a mustache, sitting in the seat near the piano.

Ethan answered in a small voice without looking at the man Reid mentioned. “He has to get the ticket at the counter first. Want me to inform him?”

Since the cartomancy was getting one of the bar's draws, and they were basically dealing with more than ten sessions a night, the bar started to distribute the numbered tickets.

“Doesn’t look like that,” Reid whispered back.

The friend shrugged his shoulders. “So maybe he likes you.”

“Nope,” Reid muttered casually. Nerds weren’t attractive, and it was a way of the world. “But he senses something. He might figure out what it’s all about.”

“Keep it down, please.”

Ethan stopped him and smiled widely at the woman who just sat across the small table. She said, “Finally, I could hear you, Spencer,” and Ethan immediately made a disguise of Reid’s improper remark with “He's so sympathetic that he believes revealing the secrets of the cartomancy saves people. But as we know, we can’t have that ability whether or not we know them.”

She nodded and began to tell her story as Reid ducked his head. She was a regular. Ethan ordered her favorite cocktail when a waitress passed by. She thanked Ethan between the conversation but basically didn’t stop until she finished. Reid’s master hands picked two pieces of card. She was easy to read.

When they finished three more readings, the mustache man approached them. He showed the ticket and sat down on the seat, eyeing the other man to sit, too.

_Oh, there had been the other man._

Reid hadn’t recognized him while worried that the real secrets were about to be revealed by the middle-aged man. And wow, he was gorgeous.

The gorgeous man was in a full suit against the other man in a moss green shirt without a tie, younger than his company, as tall as Reid, but he could see the sturdy muscles hiding under the elegant fabric. His dark, short hair still shone in the dim by the angle and the lights, those eighty percent of cacao chocolate eyes and thick eyelashes were warm. Nevertheless, his straight eyebrows might intimidate people occasionally. The high cheekbones could kill ladies only by their own shape. He was a perfect example of a so-called tall, dark, and handsome man.

“I’m not a fortune-telling person.” The tall, dark, and handsome man said under his breath and sat down as he told, regardless of his protest, crossing his long legs, relaxing. Reid could tell that the navy summer wool of his suit was luxury. Reid’s eyes stayed on the tall-dark-and-handsome in awe unwittingly because his smooth velvet voice was too hot to disregard. 

There was something about this tall-dark-and…, _okay, too long_ , the TDAH caught Reid's attention. Why was he wearing the suit? People usually changed their clothes before heading to a bar. It was a jazz bar where music and alcohol went on, not for a business meeting kind of thing. The summer breeze made people fond of comfortable clothes. Still, his beauty got his hooks, albeit he was a bit out of standard.

“Excuse me. I’m the lost lamb, kid.” The man beside the TDAH leaned on the table, the corner of his mouth quirking up a little in a mischief way.

Reid immediately looked down at the table and adjusted his hood as soon as he discerned the man had already started talking about them.

“Come on. Don't drag me into this.” The TDAH shook his head at something Reid didn’t understand.

Reid had been giddy at the man, so now he had to catch up with them. The man who called himself a lost lamb mentioned the female singer on the stage. 

“I’m afraid our cards don’t give you advice, mister -?”

Reid snapped his head up in surprise right after Ethan placidly declined. He had never let customers down under any circumstances since he cared about the proceeds and their good reputations.

“Rossi,” answered the mustache man.

“Rossi.” Ethan nodded, his voice calm and polite though the message was very candid. “We would like to help you as far as the cards can, but I can’t be your matchmaker. Same to the gentleman next to you.”

Reid completely caught the conversation by the second half of Ethan’s retort. _The two came here looking for their dates. Female dates. Of course._

His romance slapped his face after five minutes of its birth. _Never Reid grabbed his attention by any chance. He was a lanky nerd, after all. The TDAH seemed a jock type, maybe he’d occasionally made fun of awkward nerds in his school days when he should have simply let them go. He must not make an effort to date since women would approach him like a magnet. He wasn’t into men, either._ Reid coursed soundlessly, then mourned the death of his romance.

Rossi didn’t care about the disgust from Ethan. His tone was carefree. “I thought so.”

“If you have another worry, we’ll see if our cards can give you some perspective,” responded Ethan kindly on the surface.

“I’m intrigued by the kid’s trick here. I suppose profiling? He doesn’t read cards.”

Ethan snorted. “So you’re not talking with us for fortune telling. Or cruising.”

“How did you know?” Reid challenged.

“I recognized your magic hand movements. You decide the answer before pulling the cards. A very clever way to earn money for students.” He shifted his body on the chair. “No offense, son. I won’t call the police. I came here out of curiosity.”

Ethan crossed his arms over his chest and warned, “You’re remarkably assaulting our business. Please lower your voice.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know your thoughts and give me a kudo if you like the story!


End file.
